The youthful Mt. Lebanon hockey team made it to the midseason holiday break relatively unscathed and with its head above water.

Now, the Blue Devils feel as if they're well-positioned for a late-season run.

"We have a lot of younger players who are less-experienced, but that excuse [ended now that it's] the second half of the season," Mt. Lebanon coach Dave Hornak said. "They've been practicing since August so eventually someone will have to take a step forward out of our supporting cast."

Mt. Lebanon is 6-5-2 and unbeaten in its past four games after a 3-0 victory against North Hills Monday after playing Bethel Park to a 1-1 tie before the holiday break.

For a team that had to replace almost two dozen players who graduated after the past two seasons, being on the cusp of a playoff berth is not a bad place.

Last season, for example, the Blue Devils started 3-5-2 but closed the campaign on a 7-2-3 run and were able to advance to the Penguins Cup semifinals at Mellon Arena.

Mt. Lebanon already has endured a five-game losing streak this season and hopes the worst is behind it and the peak is yet to come.

"We have an awfully young team in terms of experience, and you've got to go through those adjustments where you get comfortable and confident in your game," Hornak said.

"What works at the JV level doesn't always work at the varsity level ... It's a matter for us to get that confidence level and play with a comfort level, play a little quicker overall as a team."

There are a handful of players who have long ago made the adjustment to the Class AAA varsity level, including team captain Mike Tata and alternate captain Doug Patrick (who are two of the team's four seniors along with forwards Bobby Kang and Will Schmidt) and junior goalie Travis Lisowski.

Teta is one of Mt. Lebanon's more versatile players, playing forward or defenseman as the need calls and leading the team in assists with 12 through 11 games.

Patrick, a three-year letterman, entered the week tied for second in Class AAA in goals with 15 in 11 games.

"He has scored pretty much every way you can score," Hornak said. "Off his back foot, off the front foot, from the left side, from the right side, backhand, forehand. It's just a matter of getting him to understand he has to shoot more and not pass up shots.

"He needs to shoot more, and as a team, we need to shoot more. We can't be passing up opportunities for goals. We could get six or seven goals last year to win hockey games. This year we're getting two or three. We've got to throw more shots at the net in order to win games."

The Blue Devils are averaging 3.1 goals per game, but the defense and Lisowski are often making that stand up.

Lisowski's numbers might not be what they were last season (2.11 goals-against average, .914 save percentage) but the so-called drop-off to 2.95 and .905 heading into the week is more attributed to the less experienced defense in front of him.

"Goaltending, that's the least of our concerns," Hornak said. "Travis has played outstanding for us. He gives us every opportunity to win a hockey game, and that's all you can ask for."

Lisowski also went 4-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average as a freshman.

"He's a real strong competitor and a great kid with a good set of hands," Hornak said. "He's real serious about the game, and he approaches it that way. He's just doing a great job.

"As a coaching staff, we're confident he's always going to keep us in every game because of his ability. I think the kids are real confident in him, too, and that's something that's important also."

Lisowski was particularly strong during last season's playoff run.

Kang is a reliable two-way center, and juniors Will Hoeft and Chris Ford also are some of the team's top offensive threats.

Mt. Lebanon has one of the more storied histories of any high school hockey program in the area and only less than four years ago had an undefeated season and Pennsylvania Cup state championship, so sitting at .500 midway through the season isn't a typical spot for the Blue Devils.

"I don't know if it's rebuilding," Hornak said. "You don't like to rebuild; you like to win. But we can win with what we've got here."

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